Alabama has seen an uptick in craft breweries over the last several years, and finally the Gulf Coast has one of its own: Fairhope Brewing (pictured) opened in January. The bad news? Though you can buy bottles of vino at the state’s wineries (yes, they exist!), you can’t take beer to go at 'bama breweries. The good news? The breweries have tasting rooms, ripe for the sampling. A good starting point, says Jim Foley, one of Fairhope's managing partners, is the Painted Black IPA, with roasted flavors to balance out the hops, or the Fairhope 51, a “crisp, hoppy American pale ale.” Then head a half-mile away to Vintage Wine & Liquor, one of Alabama’s top craft beer stores, for a few six-packs.
(Credit: Flickr user Russel C.)

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You’ve been there: sitting on the porch of that cabin you rented in Cote, WY, parched after a day of hiking or swinging in a hammock. Then the harsh reality hits: We didn’t pick up beer. If that cabin were located in Portland or San Francisco, both established craft beervanas, that wouldn’t be a problem. But what to do if you’ve ventured farther afield? If the beer stops are few and far between? Worry not. We found the best beer runs in vacation spots from Maine straight on over to Alaska’s Inside Passage.

Bonus: Some of these beer runs could also do double duty as souvenir stops. Imagine how jealous your beer-snob friends will be when you return home from Alabama with a Fairhope Brewing Co. growler in tow? Isn’t that why you’re going away in the first place? (Kidding. Sort of.) Cheers!

Alabama has seen an uptick in craft breweries over the last several years, and finally the Gulf Coast has one of its own: Fairhope Brewing (pictured) opened in January. The bad news? Though you can buy bottles of vino at the state’s wineries (yes, they exist!), you can’t take beer to go at 'bama breweries. The good news? The breweries have tasting rooms, ripe for the sampling. A good starting point, says Jim Foley, one of Fairhope's managing partners, is the Painted Black IPA, with roasted flavors to balance out the hops, or the Fairhope 51, a “crisp, hoppy American pale ale.” Then head a half-mile away to Vintage Wine & Liquor, one of Alabama’s top craft beer stores, for a few six-packs.
(Credit: Flickr user Russel C.)